Game Report

The Belleville Senators has nearly a full week off after they beat the Laval Rocket last Saturday. They returned to action on Friday when they hosted the Toronto Marlies. The Senators were looking to continue their winning ways, but the Marlies are always tough.

The first period was an uneventful frame. The Marlies were all over the Senators but Marcus Hogberg was solid between the pipes. Despite being out-shot, Belleville had the best chance of the period when Colin White set up Ben Sexton in front of the Toronto goal, but Calvin Pickard came up with a huge pad save to keep the Senators off the board. After 20 minutes, the teams were scoreless.

In the second period, the Marlies took control. They scored twice in the frame and scored their first just over five minutes into the period. It was Justin Holl who opened the scoring with a well-placed wrister to make it 1-0. Late in the period, after a Ville Pokka hooking penalty, Josh Kestner wired one past Hogberg to double the Toronto lead. Belleville had their chances in the frame but Pickard stood tall in the Marlies goal. After two periods the Marlies led 2-0.

In the third period the Senators got on the board. Sexton’s persistence paid off with a power play marker to cut the Marlies lead in half. But Ben Smith scored later on in the frame off a brutal defensive zone turnover to restore the Toronto lead. The Marlies held on to win this one 3-1.

The Senators had their chances in this one, they had better quality chances than the Marlies but on this night quantity beat quality. Toronto heavily out-shot the Senators through two periods, though Belleville put up a late fight, it was not enough. The Senators get back at it tomorrow night when they do battle with the Utica Comets.

▲ Ben Sexton

▼ Erik Burgdoerfer

Statistics

SENATORS

MARLIES

29

Shots

36

1 for 5

Power Play

1 for 5

15

Penalty Minutes

15

Scoring

FINAL

1

2

3

OT

SO

T

Senators (23-36-2-3)

0

0

1

–

–

1

Marlies (44-16-1-1)

0

2

1

–

–

3

Scorers

Goalies

BEL: Sexton (10)

TOR: Holl (7), Kestner (1), Smith (24)

BEL: Hogberg (L) 4-10-0-1

TOR: Pickard (W) 19-8-0-1

AHL Three Stars

Calvin Pickard TOR

Ben Sexton BEL

Josh Kestner TOR

Video highlights

Post-game interview

Quotes courtesy of AHL Report

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What a way for @jwkhockey6 to score the first goal of his professional career.

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